


188 - Co-Parenting with Reader's Ex & Dad Van

by storiesaboutvan



Category: Catfish and the Bottlemen (Band)
Genre: Dad Van, F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 03:52:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17399534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesaboutvan/pseuds/storiesaboutvan
Summary: Filling the prompts “a one shot with van who has no children falling in love with a single mother who has a little boy who adores van and him learning to deal with having to coparent with the boys dad and feeling over protective and uncomfortable around the boys dad" And a mini-request of something to do with allergies.





	188 - Co-Parenting with Reader's Ex & Dad Van

You rocked Asher gently, but with an urgency born out of a desire to stop him crying and to sooth his pain. People in the doctor surgery waiting room were either visibly annoyed at your crying two year old, or made expressions of sympathy whenever your eyes met theirs. 

"Come on, Ash. You're okay. Shhhhh. Shhhhhhhh," you hushed. His forehead was still burning hot and he was sweating through his clothes. 

Like they existed in a different timeline, the doctor was running late. You'd been waiting for a while and you were about to get up and ask if maybe you should go to the emergency room when a person walked through the door and started speaking to the receptionist. He kept coughing into the inside elbow of his shirt. When the receptionist handed him a clipboard, he looked around the room. He sat down in a seat over from you and his head went straight back to lean against the wall. He made a small groaning sound. As you hushed Asher again, the guy looked over. 

"You and me both, mate," he said to Asher. You looked at him. His skin was pale and tinged yellow. He looked like he had a bad flu, like whatever bug Asher caught, this guy did too. He wasn't looking back at you though, he was grinning at Asher. The attention was enough to stop him from crying. 

"Oh thank God," you said on a breath out. The guy chuckled, but it turned into another hacking cough. With the multitasking motor skills of a mother, you pulled a couple of tissues from your bag and offered them to him. He took them with another toothy grin. 

"Thanks, love," he said. "Think I got a chest infection or somethin'. Been coughin' my guts up all weekend," 

"So has this one. Must be something going around."

He nodded and leaned in closer. "What's his name?" 

"This is Asher. He's two," 

"Hi, Asher. I'm Van, and if ya feelin' half as bad as me, darlin', I feel dead bad for you." Asher watched Van with wide eyes. 

"He's never been sick like this. Had an easy birth and everything," you told Van. He looked at you confused. 

"He's yours?" he asked. Your head tilted to the side, then you nodded. "How old are you? You look way too young to have a two year old." 

It was a question that was often asked indirectly in badly worded attempts to hear your life story. People always thought you looked like a baby yourself, but you were twenty when you had Asher. 

Before you could answer your doctor appeared and called Asher's name. You said goodbye to Van as you stood, and followed the white coat down the hallway. 

... 

"Here. Let me," Van said as he picked the teddy up off the car park ground. He brushed it off and handed it to Asher. You wanted to keep walking, the two year old body heavy in your arms. 

"Thanks," 

"Easy. Do you want me to take that?" he asked, pointing to your nappy bag. 

"Ah, no. I'm balanced. We're just here anyway," you replied, using it as a chance to keep moving. Van walked by your side. 

"Is Asher okay?" 

"Um..." You paused, not sure exactly why Van wanted to know. He read your hesitation. 

"Sorry. None of my business. My mum always says I stick my nose where it don't belong. He just looks more settled, is all," Van replied, stopping when you did. You put Asher on the ground and he clung to your legs watching Van carefully. 

"It's okay. He's fine. Just a bad cold. Just a bit of a sook," you said, opening the car door and putting your bag in. When you turned around Asher was walking to Van, and you went to grab him but Van crouched down and let Asher come closer. They watched each other carefully before Asher held up his teddy. 

"Beggie," Asher whispered. 

"Beggie?" Van repeated. 

"Begbie," you clarified. 

"Like... Trainspotting?" Van asked, and you nodded. "Your kid's bear is named after Begbie from Trainspotting? That's dead morbid," 

"I know. Ash hasn't seen it or anything. Don't worry. He just randomly called it Biggie and we changed it. Thought it would be funny," you explained. 

Van nodded and smiled. He looked back at Asher, who was still holding Begbie out. Slowly, Van took the teddy and held it. Asher stomped his little legs, keeping himself balanced by resting a hand on Van's knee. He nodded, and Van watched, trying to work out what he wanted. 

"Uh... This is a quality teddy. Has two eyes, and I like his little bowtie," Van said slowly. 

"Tie!" 

"Yeah. Begbie has more style than me. Thank you for showing me him," he said and handed the bear back. Asher seemed content with the interaction and walked back to you. Lifting him into his seat, you looked back to Van. 

"Um... How are you? Chest infected?" you asked. 

"Nah, nah. Bit of a sook too, apparently. Just got a bad flu. I sing, see, as my job. I gotta be careful with stuff like that," 

"Oh, yeah. Cool. So you're in a band?" 

Asher was squirming and making it hard to buckle him in. Your attention was divided between him and Van, and it wasn't helping either the task at hand or the conversation unfolding. Van replied, but you didn't catch it. Finally, Asher was buckled in and you closed the door. 

"Sorry," Van said. "I'm being annoying... Nosy again. I'll leave you to it. I'm glad he's alright,"

"Yeah. Thanks. Glad you are too. Um. Get some rest, yeah?" 

It was a weirdly mum thing to say to a stranger. Van nodded and took a step back so you could walk around the car to get in. You watched him walk through the car park and disappear. Strange guy. 

... 

You mumbled a string of swear words under your breath before abandoning the shopping cart. Asher was waddling quickly around the corner of the aisle. 

"Asher. Come here," you called after him. He was all giggles. As you turned into the fruit and veg section your heart stopping beating and you had a moment of sheer panic.

You couldn't see him, and although it was only a second it was enough to make tears prick at your eyes. He was there though, talking to someone that had got down on their knees to speak to him. Racing to him, you picked Asher up a little too quickly and he made a squeaking sound. "Asher. You can't just run away. Fuck," 

"Watch it. Using that language 'round him. He'll pick it up in no time!" the person Asher was talking to said. He was standing now and you looked up, ready to fight. The familiar grin told you it was a joke though. "Hi," Van said. "What are the odds, huh?" 

"Hey. Yeah," 

"Does he remember me?" 

"Ash? Honestly, probably not. He's just always loved strangers. Up for a chat with anyone," 

"My type of guy," Van said, ruffling Asher's hair. Asher responded with giggles and reached out for Van when he took his hand away. "Can I hold him?" Van asked. You could tell he said it as soon as the thought popped into his head. He didn't think about how it would sound, or the fact that he was a stranger. There was something endearing in that though. He was genuine and you could smell the same brand of fabric softener on him that you used. 

"Yeah, here. You can bring him back to our stuff. Left our cart in the next aisle," you said, handing Asher over. 

You didn't ask him to stay, but you didn't tell him to leave. Van followed you around the supermarket with Asher in his arms. They'd stop when you did and Van would put him down and they'd play whatever game they'd invented. You watched carefully, but it was actually a big help. You could take time to read labels and Van didn't ask questions when you vagued out and took a few minutes to pick a type of pasta. It was almost like having time to yourself. When you checked your watch and realised it had been a whole hour, you turned back to the boys. 

Van was showing him a packet of instant mashed potato. Asher was pushing it away and frowning. 

"That's what I'm saying, mate! You steer clear of this stuff, yeah? Only proper 'tatoes for you," Van laughed. 

"Um... Did you have your own shopping you needed to do?" you asked him. 

"Sorry. Am I doing it again? I'll go-"

"No!" you interrupted quickly. "That's not what I meant. I just don't want to keep you from anything. You're kind of babysitting for free right now,"

"Probably think I'm a weirdo, huh? Gonna get your boyfriend to watch out for me," Van grinned, standing with Asher. 

"Ah, yeah. You're definitely a weirdo. You're making friends with a two year old. But no. No boyfriend. No restraining order. You're alright," 

"Hear that, Ash?" Van asked him. "Ya mum thinks I'm alright. What's your dad gonna say about that?"

"Don't think Asher's dad cares much about what or who I think is alright. We're not… together." 

Van nodded and you were thankful that he'd been able to not verbalise whatever thought had passed through his mind. You'd never been curious about what people assumed had happened. As Van went back to bouncing Asher and talking to him, for the first time you wondered. For the first time, you kind of wanted to offer more explanation.

When your shopping was done, Van followed you to your car and you let him try to buckle Asher in. As you packed the grocery bags into the boot, you chuckled to yourself. Nobody ever got it first go. When you went to check on his progress, he was standing in the open door telling Asher about his band. He got it first go. 

"Thanks for that... and the babysitting," you said. 

"Not a problem, love. I like the kid," 

"Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. Are you like this around all kids?" 

"Don't know any, so I don't know. Probably. I want some," he replied like it was his plan to go to Ikea on the weekend and pick up a couple of infants to raise. 

"Well, he certainly likes you."

Asher was reaching out a hand to Van. Van gave him a little high five, then shut the door carefully. 

"I can babysit whenever ya want. I mean, I got no experience in it, but I'll do it for free," Van said with that happy grin. You leaned on the car and let yourself study him for a second. Between the doctor surgery reception area, to the shopping centre car park, you'd never really looked at him.

He was probably older than you, but not by much. Maybe only a year, or two at most. He didn't care much about getting on trend haircuts, but his jacket was cool enough that he could wear a mop on his head and probably still be attractive. Despite the sharpness of his cheekbones and the angle of his nose, he was soft. Maybe it was the way he moved, all animated and warm, that made him seem that way. He was someone that it would be easy to trust, if you let yourself know him. 

"I have a babysitter. My neighbour's seventeen year old. She's good with him," you replied with a smirk. 

"Maybe I can just come hang out then? Like, I feel like I've bonded with him and he mentioned that he wanted to play Fifa with me one time, so... I don't know, you know?" Van replied, matching your smirk with an ear to ear grin. 

"Is that what he said? Strange. Didn't think he liked football. More of a music kid than sport kid," 

"Oh, yeah, he mentioned music too. Said I'd bring around some of my records and stuff," 

"Well, that's convenient, isn't it? Did my two year old say when he wanted all this to happen?" 

"Um... On the weekend maybe? Said his calendar was pretty clear for Sunday. I told him I'd even cook him a roast dinner," Van said with a shrug. 

You swapped numbers and watched Asher wave goodbye through the window. Still, a strange guy.

…

Was it a good or a bad thing that Van's laughter was as manic and high pitched as a two year old's? As you walked back into the kitchen and watched them looking at the roast through the oven window, their happy faces and excitable moods, it was so clearly a good thing. Asher turned around and looked up at you.

"Chick-on," he said, pointing at the oven.

"I know! You love chicken, huh. How's ours going?"

"Chick chick," Asher explained.

"Yeah, so, it's going chick chick and also really good. Should be done soon. I'm gonna start on the sides," Van added, getting up off the floor. Asher watched him move and chased him across the room, clinging to his legs. Van picked him up and sat him on the bench. Asher looked at you with a smile that said he knew he wasn't meant to be up there, but he was getting away with it on account of his new best friend.

…

Van was a ride or die. He wasn't just in for the fun things, the Sunday dinners, the trips to Build-a-Bear (Asher had four, all made with love by him and Van), the mornings spent eating cookies and doing craft activities. He was there when things weren't so great either. He wasn't the first or even second person you'd call when you needed help, but over the course of the first three months of your friendship, he moved his way up the list quickly. It was Asher's love for him that propelled him to having his own speed dial number. Nobody could calm Asher down like Van, or make him comply so easily.

For that reason, when Asher came down with hayfever symptoms at the same time as you having the period from hell, you called Van after crying about it all to your mum. He was over within the hour and had stopped by the drug store and shops. His shopping list included:

Allergy medicine for children - one of every brand

Allergy medicine for adults - just in case

Pain relief for adults

New water bottle covered in pink furry material

Block of dark chocolate - your favourite

Small banana and Kinder Surprise - Asher's favourites

Multiple boxes of tissues

Very expensive anti-allergen pillow

He also threw one of his hoodies at you as he walked through the door. He'd worn it a couple of times and had obviously noticed your like for it. You pulled it on immediately and felt the cosiness warm you. Following Van around, you let him fix all the problems. Asher happily took the medicine as directed, and after his treat was tucked into bed with his new pillow.

"Van 'low," he said as he wriggled around. Van pillow. He repeated the phrase until it became one strange sound. "Vanlow. Vanlowlow. Lellowwwww," he sung to himself before sneezing again. Van wiped the snot away and left a box of tissues by his bed. You sat on the floor with Van until Asher was asleep, then tiptoed back out into the lounge.

"Alright, your turn," Van announced, taking your shoulders and pushing you onto the couch. You started on the chocolate as Van brought you tea, and water to take the painkillers with. He filled the water bottle with soothing hot, and it felt good to have it pressed to your back.

Van sat on the floor with his back against the couch. The painkillers kicked in, and the warmth of the hot water bottle and Van's oversized hoodie lulled you into a sleepiness that was hard to fight. 

"Gonna sleep. Watch Ash," you mumbled.

"Yeah, 'couse, babe," Van replied, looking away from the television briefly. 

A manic and forceful knocking on the door woke you up. At first you thought it was part of a dream, a nightmare, then maybe the weird daytime movie Van was watching. You failed to sit up, instead burrowed under the blanket confused and hazy. A voice yelled out. They were calling for you, and it was entirely a panicked and unsettling sound. Asher's father. You shot up and almost collided with Mike.

"What are you doing?" you asked.

"He's sick? Why didn’t you call me?

"He's not sick, he's just got allergies. It's fine. How… What the fuck. How did you know? Did my mum call you?

Mike rolled his eyes and walked uninvited through your flat to Asher's room. He sat on the edge of his bed and put a hand to his forehead. He brushed Asher's hair back and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, careful not to wake him. You stood watching from the door, then followed him back out into the lounge. Van was awkwardly pacing.

"This is the second time you've done this, Y/N. He's my kid too," Mike said.

"Oh my god! It was a cold before, and it’s allergies now. He's fine. Do you really want me to call every single time he sniffles?"

"Yes! I'm his dad. I can help. Jesus fucking Christ. You're so selfish, you know?" Mike said, his voice raising.

"Mate. Calm down, yeah? We gave Asher some medicine and a banana, put him to bed. He's fine. No need to yell at her," Van said, standing next to you. Bless him, but it was a mistake.

"Oh, is that your professional medical opinion, huh? You a doctor?"

"No. Are you?"

"Yes. I am. Actually. And who the fuck are you? Why are you giving my kid anything?" Mike spat back, the egotistism and self-importance shining through. The reasons you never would have dated him properly.

"Mike. He's right. Calm down. Asher's fine. I'll call more, okay? I get it. He's your kid, you love him, you want to know what's happening. I'm sorry, alright?"

"Who's he?" he asked, pointing to Van.

"None of your fucking business. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Mike rolled his eyes again, paused to weigh up Van, then he walked out. He would have slammed the door dramatically if it wouldn't have woken Asher. Too late for that though. Little feet coming through the flat, there was no time to debrief with Van.

"Mummy?" Asher asked.

"Oh, baby. Hey. Did we wake you? Are you okay?"

Asher paused to look around and you knew who he was looking for. "Daddy?"

"No, baby. He was here but he had to go. Just wanted to check on you. Come on. Back to bed, yeah?"

You carried Asher away, leaving Van to figure out what the fuck just happened.

…

The conversation about Mike was delayed. Eventually, when Asher would ask for Van when he wasn't around, and when you'd fallen asleep wrapped up on the couch with him, you figured he was owed that story.

You were sitting on the kitchen bench watching Van and Asher draw in vibrant messy colours.

"So… About Mike…" you started. Van's eyes flicked up and he smirked. "Um… I met him when I was nineteen. He was a bit older and was just about to be a real doctor and stuff, you know? I was dead impressed at how smart he was and I couldn't believe he was paying me any attention. We never really proper dated. But, it was long enough and stupid enough that Asher happened." Asher looked up when he heard his name and wriggled in his seat. Van had stacked a bunch of pillows on it so that he could reach the table. When he wriggled, he wobbled, and Van reached out to steady him.

"That's you," Van whispered to him. "Happy accident. Exact opposite to me,"

"Yeah… So… I've always wanted kids, so there wasn’t a second that I considered not having him. Mike seemed a bit indifferent. So, that was that. He's been good, really. We've never gone without anything. It's been useful to have a doctor around, even if he is a bit… intense. Don't think he fully trusts me because I'm young, but I really feel like I know what I'm doing,"

"You do," Van said nodding. At least someone had undying faith in you. You smiled at him.

"Yeah, so. He sees Asher when he can, but he works a lot, and his fiancé has just had a baby, so… yeah. That's… the story."

Van nodded and when he didn't say anything back, you wondered which details were important to him. "That's the story," he said to Asher, then continued to colour in.

…

You'd known Van for almost a year and the line between friend and more had blurred long ago. On the nights Asher would spend with Mike, Van would be in your bed. On the days Asher was home, Van would be more of a dad than Mike ever tried to be. It was easy for him to fit into your life. He was confident and never asked awkward questions about his role in Asher's life. Asher loved him, and that was enough reassurance.

Mike had grown used to Van being around, but there was always an uneasy tension there. It was 90% Mike, threatened when he had no reason or right to be. Van's 10% was out of a fierce protectiveness of you and Asher. But, little by little, they were getting there.

"Asher's birthday," you said, walking through the flat picking up toys. Asher was laying in Van's lap. They weren't doing anything other than looking at each other, talking about things.

"Yeah," Van replied.

"Mike's invited us over for a little party or something,"

"Us as in you and Asher?"

"No. You too. He even voluntarily said your name," you told him with a smirk.

"Hear that?" he asked Asher. "None of this Voldemort shit anymore,"

"Van!"

"Sorry! Stuff. Voldemort stuff," he corrected himself. Asher was probably going to swear like a sailor and you were equally to blame for that.

"Did you want to go?" you asked him. He looked at you confused.

"Of course. I'd stitch my body to yours and Ash's if it wasn't really weird," he replied. You made a face of disgust.

"What? That's fucking… You're such a weirdo. Can you like, not turn Asher weird too?"

Van laughed and looked down at the giggling child in his lap. "Too late! Yeah, Ash? Saw you eating leaves the other day. Dead fuckin' weird, aren't ya?"

"Van!”

“What? You just said it!"

…

Tess and Mike's baby was beautiful, but not as beautiful as Asher was at one. You had always liked Tess. She was warm and sweet and it didn't make sense to you why she was with Mike. Maybe some of that sunshine settled his moodiness and arrogance.

"Want to hold her, Van?" she asked, handing the baby over before Van could reply. He looked at you nervously but seemed at ease holding her regardless. Tess continued to tell you both about every detail of the kid's short life, and it became clear that she was venting more than anything else. She didn't really care about what you thought, because if she did she would have skipped the more boring details. You listened though. In Asher's first year you also needed to debrief with literally anyone about literally everything.

Looking over to Mike at the barbecue, holding Asher on his hip, you could see the struggle.

"Van, can I hold?" He nodded and carefully put the baby in your arms, supporting her head without being told to. "Maybe you can go see if Mike needs help?" He nodded again and walked over.

You and Tess both silently watched as Van walked over and said something. Mike nodded, and Asher climbed from his father onto Van. They stayed standing as a group, talking about something.

"Are you in love with Van?" Tess suddenly asked. She was still watching them. In addition to her kind nature, she was always brutally blunt. So was Van, so you liked the trait.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am,"

"That's good. I think he's good for Asher. Mike's great, but I'm glad Ash has Van too."

It was a weird thing for her to say. She had just had a child with the man, after all.

"Yeah, me too. I think Mike will be…"

"A better dad second time around?" she finished for you. Wow. Brutal. Accurate though. You nodded.

"Yeah. He will. It all feels right, you know? Me and him. You and Van. Odd bunch, but we'll work it out,"

"Yeah. We will."


End file.
